As The Castle’s Darryl Kerrigan famously said, “It’s not a house, it’s a home” – and it’s a heart-warming quote that acknowledges the attachment we all make to where we live. Darryl’s statement is not about the physical structure or the peeling wallpaper housed within it.

It’s about the memories made, the proximity to friends and family, and a representation of how you want to live your life. And it is this sentiment which gets to the core of why a knockdown rebuild is increasingly popular, especially amongst Newcastle families.

It’s actually a very common situation many families across Newcastle find themselves in – you don’t have enough bedrooms, share a single bathroom, are constantly patching old wiring and plumbing, or need to finally get that dedicated home office to expand your business. So it can be hard to ignore the mounting list of cons for staying, but moving means uprooting your family and saying goodbye to memories made on the property. To solve this dilemma many opt to knock down their home to build a brand new home in its place. It’s the best of both worlds!

It’s so common in fact, simply take a drive through any Newcastle suburb and you are bound to find a number of knockdown rebuilds in progress. They are especially popular in established Newcastle suburbs that are zoned for sought after schools. This is where a builder like Valley Homes come in. We can help you hold onto those memories, maintain your community ties, and upgrade your home lifestyle by creating more floor space, adding rooms, creating new family entertaining zones, and connecting modern services – all for a fraction of the price of a full renovation.

If this sounds like you, before you get carried away with dreams to land renovate we recommend you look into a few things first:

1. Get to know your budget

Many people search ‘cost to knockdown and rebuild home’ when starting their budget research and yes, a knockdown rebuild can often be cheaper than a full renovation. This is of course a huge part of the appeal, especially as it can also save you spending money on the fees and taxes associated with buying and selling. But construction isn’t free, of course, and with any investment of this size it is always a good start to talk to your financial service provider. If you have an existing mortgage this is a good opportunity to find out how much money you can access for a build and get a solid idea of the current equity in your property.

Plus, when we talk about knowing your budget, we mean more than simply knowing how much you can get from the bank. We also mean knowing how much you want to spend and how much it will cost to build the type of home you aspire to live in. Talking to an experienced knockdown rebuild builder can give you accurate quotes relating to this. Keep in mind property restrictions, such as a slope, can increase overall budgets.

2. Can your house be knocked down?

Something you may also need to consider is whether your property is restricted by heritage listings. Heritage listing can mean a knockdown is not an option, or it may mean that partial elements need to be maintained when you rebuild, such as a front facade. Also, before you knock down anything make sure your local council allow the type of home you intend to build in its place. It’s one thing to knockdown a rundown house, but if you can’t build a bigger dwelling on the place because of council restrictions relating to height or footprint, then you should definitely know that before the bulldozers move in. This is something an experienced builder can assist with. At Valley Homes we can liaise with council for you so you have all of the information from the outset.

3. Quality builds takes time

Before you start the knock down rebuild process it will help you manage expectations and budgets if you are aware of how long your build will take. Time can also directly impact your budget, especially if you are expecting to rent a house while the construction takes place. Keep in mind a two-storey dwelling will take longer to build than a single storey and if your budget will only stretch to a certain amount of weeks, it will save you a lot of anguish and financial stress if you take this into consideration in the planning stage of your project.

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Is a knockdown with the plan to rebuild your home solution?

Maybe you subscribe to Daryl Kerrigan’s sentimentality, or maybe you just love where you live but are due for an upsize or upgrade. Either way, our team of knockdown rebuild experts can give you a quote, a building schedule and answer all of your construction questions – simply contact us on 02 4934 1400 or at sales@valleyhomes.com.au